Already a steeplechase finalist in the two prior IAAF World Championships (9th in ’13 Moscow and 8th in ’11 Daegu), as well as sitting in 7th place on the ’15 season steeple world chart with her personal best of 9:20.15 set at the Monaco DL meeting in July, Gesa-Felicitas Krause was poised for a break-through performance in Beijing. Placed in the middle of the pack that trailed early leader Lahita Babar who passed 2000m in 6:22.27, Krause and her fellow contenders soon thereafter broke the race open with a sustained surge, led by pre-race favorites Habiba Ghribi and Hyvin Jepkemoi. Entering the final lap, Krause was in the leading group of seven, who began to jostle for position on the back straight. Displaying outstanding hurdling technique, Krause went through the last water jump and over the last barrier faster than anyone else, moving her from 5th to the lead, as she cleared the last barrier. Only in the last 15m was she passed by Jepkemoi (champion in 9:19.11) and then by Ghribi, who edged Krause at the line by the narrowest of margins, 9:19.24 to 9:19.25. The three medalists each covered the last 1000m in just under 2:56. Krause with her bronze medal performance established a new personal best, while retaining her status as the top European steepler, as well as moving to no. 12 on the European all-time list.
Also competing in the 3000m steeplechase final in their first world championship experience were Virginia Nyambura (7th in 9:26.21) and Ruth Jebet (11th in 9:33.41).
And finally, advancing out of the men’s 5000m heats to qualify for the final were Albert Rop (5th place auto-qualifier in time of 13:19.61) and Isiah Koech (10th place with non-auto time qualifier of 13:23.51). Koech’s advancement will provide him the opportunity to defend his bronze medal from the ’13 Moscow WC 5000m. The men’s 5000m final is scheduled for 28-August.